Picked up the car yesterday...so I thought I would volunteer some initial observations:

• The factory tour is of a C-class assembly line, because of its easy accessibility.
• If you don't order a bottle of wine at with lunch at the Delivery Center, you will have enough left over that they will give you one to take.
• Everyone here speaks English with either a Pennsylvanian or British accent. If you don't speak fluent German they talk to you English.
• In person and in quantity, the CLS (they are in full production including the CLS350), maybe a little over styled.
• The navigation system has a strange way of asking you to turn wrong on the first turn of the trip and immediately asking for a U-turn. Otherwise, it is quick and seemingly accurate.
• The climate control is easily the worst feature of the car. The automatic setting always left the fan speed to high, both from a noise and comfort standpoint. The tech said that the '05 4-place climate control still includes the charcoal filter, just not the button. He didn't know it wasn't available in the US E320 anymore. This was the senior tech delivering a CL65.
• The car andles and rides well, easily comparable, if not slightly better than a standard suspension E39.
• The car is VERY quiet at high speeds (up to 80-85 mph so far). Diesel noise is limited to a very faint ticking at idle.
• The car is very solid with no squeaks or rattles. All of the electronics seem to work correctly, including the radio.
• The seats are very comfortable, and the Drive Dynamic seems much more useful than I had thought it would be.
• German roads and driving, at least around Stuttgart, seem very similar to NJ. Only the parking is harder.
• Saw an CL65 as it was delivered and it was quite nice. Interestingly it had the older Pilot Sports, not the PS2s.
• The technican didn't know you couldn't lock the trunk with the valet key. However, she said you could in other markets. So the lock mechanism to fix this is available, isn't it Steve?

More to follow.

David

 

Awesome car, nice observations, and congrats!

 

Its a beauty . . Congratulations.

Enjoy the experience, and best of luck.

Please keep us posted.

 

She's a beaut!

btw, how do they get the car to the US? I'm guessing by boat since a plane ride would cost more than a Maybach probably. But, how long does it take to get back?

 

Thanks for posting. I'll be at the factory next week picking up another model. Looking forward to seeing the new not ready for prime time in the US models you describe. Hope all is going well and that the weather holds up for us both.

 

Great post. Thanks!

Please ask 'em to quick fix the nav and climate control before we get there.

 

With European Delivery you simply drop your car off at one of the many locations hat are setup throughout Europe and your car is loaded onto a ship. It takes about 3-4 weeks to get to the US and clear customs then is delivered to the dealer of your choice so they can preform the US delivery for you.

 

Beautiful car! Congrats.

 

Car looks great. Keep up the reporting - very good stuff.

Congrats!

 

The car is beautiful!

Did you get the "loaner" Europe DVD navigation disc from MB? Did the tech help you program your destinations? Where are you driving to?

 

3-4 weeks might be a bit optimistic... we were told 6-8 weeks to the left coast and another 2 weeks for transfer to seattle and barge to Anchorage. Without any identified delay the total time from drop off to delivery was 9 weeks for us. It was a large enough delay that I forgot about the car! The whole experience was heavily fragmented... research and purchase, 4 months later vacation and pick up, 2 months later... oh yea we bought a new car! I would do it again though, perhaps the new S in a couple of years.

 

Are you sure it says "Auto" in the display? The red light in the left and/or right buttons doesn't mean that the "Auto" is engaged. If "Auto" is not in the display, try to hit either left or right Auto-button.

Enjoy your new ride (it's very nice. Don't think you will see many white E's in Europe), and take it easy on the Autobahn!

 

I'll try and provide some answers.

First, MBUSA does not make the 4-place climate control available on any '05 E320. So the only indicator is the auto light. It was the first time delivery center people heard of this.

Second, the factory tour takes about 1:45. Add in 20 minutes of initial paper work for delivery, 1-1:30 for lunch, 30-60 minutes for actual delivery, and you will be at the delivery center up to 4 1/2 hours. Add in some extra time waiting and maybe in the accessory center...you could be there most of the day. I would definitely plan (and did) at least two nights in Stuttgart: one before and one after delivery.

We stayed at the MB recommended hotel in Stuttgart, the Steinberger Graf Zeppelin. It is very nice with a fanastic breakfast. We booked it though the English Internet service Octopus travel. We also booked two nights in the another MB recommened hotel, Schlosshotel Lisl, through them. During our stay there was a Stuttgart wine fesitival. However, I was close to trying a hotel in the Romantic chain near the airport.

Our schedule is complicated. Two nights Stuttgart, two night Wurzburg, 1 night Rothenburg ob der Tauber, 2 nights Hohenschwangau, 1 night Kitzbuhel, 2 nights Salzburg, 3 nights Munich, 4 nights Vienna. Dropping the car off in Munich and renting a car for a one day drive to Vienna. In addition we have intraday stops at the Mercedes and Porsche Museums, Ludwigsburg, Nuremburg, Lindenhof, Innesbruck, Dinkelsburg, Nordlingen, Berchtesgarden, Chimsee, Dachau, and Melk.

When planning the trip, in Germany, breakfast is frequently included. However, be careful on some Internet sites, where it is not included. In addition, you will need to spend $50-100 day on lunch and dinner.

Many (most?) of the sites (palaces, castles, museums) are not free. This can also run $50/per day/per person or more.

If you have a nav system, MB provides a DVD. It is very good. You are expected to turn it over to Harms on turn in. However, they take a credit card imprint. They charge you 440EUR if it is not turned in. They suggest getting a receipt from Harms.

German streets are narrow. Even their highways are narrow. Some streets are narrow and one way. I've had to back out of tight spots three times. Parking with Parktronic the car still sticks out relative to other German Cars (MB A-Class is very popular). Parking lot entrances are very tight spirals. At the MB museum lot one pillar has lots of different paint scrapes. The US car doesn't have folding mirros, further exacerbating the problem.I'm not sure how someone could manage an S-class here.

From Ludwigsburg to Wurzburg today we: cruised at 100mph for a period, dealt with road conditions which swung between 50 km/hr and unlimited, averaged 27.5 mpg US, passed 100 miles on the odometer, cruised at 100 mph, learned how to set the parking mirror, saw a Lauda McLaren Porsche, Fangio MB, and Donohue 917/30 up close and personal, etc.

Also, the '05 manual describes the new console. It has a sliding rolling door on top, with the cup holders underneath. They are a plastic insert.

Hope this helps,

David

 

I saw this style console in my manual fro my '05 E320 but I do not have that style I still have the same as it always was. Is that the one they are using now (without air ventilation)?

 

Hope you're enjoying the experience... just a couple notes:

1) The tour depends on when you go. Sometimes it is the E-class line. It just depends on timing.

2) I've occasionally run into sales persons in the accessories shop that do not speak ANY English; strange to me that they would place people without that skill in that capacity.

3) Most Mercedes without a button for charcoal filter still have the ability to have such a filter, just in use full time. It is often part of the cabin filter.

-s-

 

1. They told us they used the C-class line because you can walk right next to it....literally reach out and touch. I may have misunderstood and they said we should be happy we are seeing the C-class line because you are so close.
2. Scorchie: Can a charcoal filter be put an E320 with standard climate control?
3. Our console is the old one with air conditioned center console. I imagine the change doesn't come until the new console.

 

Update: two known problems, one issue, and quirk.

The two problems: SRS warning has come on intermittently, will try to have MB dealer in Oberammergau deal with it tomorrow. And the driver's drive dynamic seat has lost all its strength and has side bolster spasms when the cars is off.

The issue is the tires. The MXV4Pluses are pretty clueless above 100mph. Even dangerous in my opinion.

And the quirk: the nav system shows an arrow to turn right and says to turn right even when the map correctly says to turn left. Most often occurs on first instruction.

 

Depending on what tour you are on, you get to see either the C-class or E-class line...

greetingz,

 

Update:

Took the car to the dealer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and found out:

1. The rear seats in US cars have a passenger weight sensor. Our right rear sensor is out to lunch.

2. The driver's Drive Dynamic seat has leaks reported in both the left lateral cushion and the bottom lumbar cushion. This caused the pump to run continuously, which caused the system to turn it off.

3. The German cars have flush door buttons, and I'm told they can't be interchanged.

4. They were surprised by the Soprano lock. Had no idea how to change it in a US car.

 

David,

Many congrats on the car and the trip. I believe we ordered ours at similar times. I paid for mine last Monday on the way out of town for 4 days and picked it up last Friday. It was fairly quick boat ride from Europe to Jacksonville for my car. About 3 weeks from shipment to being on transporter to the dealer. You should ask one of the techs over there about the NAV and any secret codes they know relative to DVD .

I also have the old style center console. My dynamic seats at random remember to be on when I restart the car, and at random sometimes need to be switched on again. Hoping I don't have the issue you have. My left rear door latch needs adjustment to pull the door in another 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. I put SL 18" wheels on mine with sporty tires. I agree the car is on par or better than an E39 for handling and steering feel. Transmission has had some "odd" firm shifts (like one or two) so far. I got the Xenon lights and by far they are the best I have ever had out of the 5 cars I have owned with them. Enjoy the rest of your trip.